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Powerlessness
Synopsis First Half Rika awakens to the sounds of vegetables being chopped and Satoko happily humming. She looks to see Satoko at the sink. Rika turns over and pulls up her covers. Satoko calls for her get up and put away her futon so they can eat. Rika slowly rises and looks at the date which reads "June 10, 1983." Satoko removes it to reveal "June 11, 1983." Watching, Rika looks sad, and Satoko asks her what is wrong. Rika smiles and claims she is fine and is just looking forward to Satoko's breakfast "Nipaa~!" Outside at the Furude Shrine, Keiichi walks with Rena, Shion, and Mion and wonders about such an early date for a festival. Shion explains that their ''Watanagashi'' Festival, "is a little different from the usual summer festivals." An adult asks if they have come to help. As Keiichi tries escape, Mion happily volunteers him to help set up the festival. When Ōishi arrives with two uniformed police officers, the adult and his friend immediately walk away. Ōishi laughs that it seems that he is not liked. Mion looks at and then addresses him severely: "is this a police inspection?" Ōishi laughs and reminds her that this will be the "fifth year." While Keiichi asks "fifth year?" Shion ooks serious and Rena looks down sad. Keiichi then realizes that Ōishi refers to the chain of bizarre deaths. Ōishi remarks, "Oh, so you are aware?" He continues that the fact the incidents happen on the day of the Watanagashi Festival baffles the police. Satoko eagerly arrives apologizing for being late with Rika. Noticing the mood, Satoko asks if something is wrong. Shion suddenly smiles and encourages Ōishi to "keep up the good work." Ōishi says he will then turns and leaves with the two officers. Satoko again asks if something happened, but Mion turns and assures her that "it's nothing." Shion adds that they are simply talking about how Rika will dance on the night of the Watanagashi Festival. Keiichi adds that he heard that Rika will be the Festival's miko. Rika looks embarrassed, but Keiichi pats her on the head and tells her that he is looking forward to the day. Rika still looks down and swallows. The mere thought of Rika in her miko robes triggers Rena's Cute Mode which quickly progresses to Take Home Mode. Despite the chibi depiction, Rika remains nonplussed regarding Rena's attention. Keiichi jokingly claims that if Rika disappears after the Festival, they will know it is Rena. Chibi Rena stops spinning Chibi Rika and stares at Keiichi while the rest laugh. Over a scene passing over the parts of various stands, Mion suggests that they learn what kinds of stands they will have at the festival. Rena, Shion, Keiichi, and Mion start to walk away with Satoko following. Mion babbles about the "Battle of the Four Person Rampaging Squad," then realizes she will need to make it a "Six Person Rampaging Squad" since Shion and Keiichi will be there. Satoko stops and turns when she realizes Rika is not following with her. She asks Rika what is the matter, and Rike stirs from her sad expression. She denies that anything is wrong and quickly shifts to "Nipaa~!" Satoko, however, looks surprised, then narrows her eyes, then looks suprised again. They go together to a butcher in Hinamizawa. When they both greet him, he only acknowledges Rika. Rika replies with a smile and "Nipaa~!" As the butcher compliments Rika on her fine upbringing, Satoko tries to place their order for minced meat. The butcher blatantly turns his head away and ignores her by discussing with Rika how good the weather is. Satoko looks down, and Rika notices this. She repeats Satoko's order, and the butcher starts to ask her what she is going to cook. Rika looks away embarrassed and answers, "Hamburgers." While Satoko continues to look down, the butcher continues to address "Rika-chama." Rika looks at Satoko and enters her own flashback. She sits dutifully in a corner during a meeting while a group of Anti-Dam villagers denouces Satoko's parents in front of Satoko and her brother. Satoko cries during this, and Rika sits watching sadly in her corner. Rika then flashes back to asking Mion in front of the Sonozaki home how long Satoko's family needs to be shunned. Mion replies that the Dam War went on for a few years, "so it will probably take at least that long for the stigma of being a traitor to fade." Returning to the present, the butcher gives the wrapped meat to Rika. Whe Satoko reaches for her purse she drops it. As she tries to gather the coins, a 100¥ coin rolls to the feet of some watching women. They start looking at Satoko with disgust. Rika starts to help Satoko pick up her coins, which causes the women to eagerly help Rika. Rika quickly places the money owed the butcher on his counter and rushes away holding Satoko's hand. That night, Rika again stares out at the Moon while Satoko sleeps and she looks at Satoko. At the Okinomiya Elementary School's athletic field, Mion is at bat. She swings and horribly misses for strike two. All together on the bench, Satoko, Irie Kyōsuke, Shion, Rena, and Rika sigh in disappointment. Shion is surprised that even Mion could not hit the pitcher. Satoko growses about a "Kōshein level" pitcher even being there. As numerous reporters photograph the pitcher's every move, Irie explains that he played with the Okinomiya Titans when he was in elementary school. Satoko continues her protest at having such a level pitcher in a "sand-lot baseball game." Irie replies that their team has called for "extra backup." He does note that Mion hit a grand-slam earlier. However, as the scoreboard comes into view, Shion laments that the game changed once the Okinomiya Titans brought in the Kōshein-level pitcher Kōichi Kameda. Nevertheless, Shion stands to cheer her sister, only to watch her tragically strike out. In frustration, Mion throws her bat to the ground, which bounces up to hit her in the face, knocking off her helmet, then comes down to hit her on the head. Satoko declares that they will fignt the Okinomiya Titans' backup with their own. She rushes to a phone booth where she calls Keiichi who does not appear eager to join in Club activities that day. When she insists that real "combat" is happening and Mion failed convinces him to rush to them. Satoko hangs up with a satisfied smile. There is a delay at the bottom of the 7th inning as Irie tries to convince the umpire to allow them to wait a little longer. A spectator opines that it is useless to wait since whomever Hinamizawa has will prove no match for Kameda who, on cue, doffs his cap to wipe his brow to the squeals of female spectators. Satoko insists that "Maebara Keiichi" will easily hit off Kameda. The scouts mutter amongst themselves as they wonder if anyone has heard of this player. Satoko enters into an anime spectacular soliloquy lauding the skills off Keiichi. As she chibi laughs, the scouts rush to contact their offices to inform them that they have found a previously unknown slugging prospect. On cue with his bell ringing, Keiichi arrives on the field on his bike armed with a golf club. Reporters eagerly photograph him as he makes his dramatic anime entrance . . . weilding a golf iron! After a pause where he and the other players and spectators stare in stunned silence, Satoko walks up to him slowly to gently ask if she can ask him something: "Why a golf club?" At the bottom of the 8th inning the score remains 7-6 Okinomiya. Kameda's pitch blows by Keiichi who stands stunned at facing a Kōshein pitcher. While he argues with Mion, Kameda throws another strike which turns out to be Keiichi's third strike. Satoko notes an odd rule of their level of baseball where Keiichi can pinch hit the next inning. She smiles to the dejected Mion, and informs her that she has a "plan." In an anime dramatic split screen, Keiichi talks to Kameda between innings at the water faucets to try to convince him to throw the game. Striking yet another anime dramatic pose, Keiichi informs him that he read a magazine interview where Kameda claims his favorite food is yakiniku, and he hates sweets. Keiichi deems this a "lie," and Kameda recoils in anime horror. There is a quick flash to a Chibi Mion advertising her family's fine dinning establishment. In the face of Keiichi's onslaught, Kameda confesses that he loves pasteries with a passion that When They Cry Wiki refuses to search for examples of for your own good. In an anime spotlight, a devestated Kameda laments being a "pervert (変態・''hentai'')." With sparkling anime eyes and an incisor, Keiichi asks him what is wrong with a guy being a pervert. He declares that all men are perverts, and he congratulates Kameda on his honesty. Kameda begins to recover, as Keiichi springs his trap: two all-you-can-eat tickets to Angel Mort. Kameda performs the dogeza in apology and agrees to the departing Keiichi's terms in anime-trope-ladden conclusion. At the bottom of the 9th, the score remains 7-6. Keiichi steps up to bat. Ever-supportive, Mion yells that a "penalty game" awaits him if he does not get a hit. While the rest cheer and Rena starts to enter Cute Mode imaging the penalty he will suffer, Satoko stands apart from them next to Rika. Satoko does not appear excited, while Rika appears depressed. Satoko asks her what is wrong, noting that Rika has appeared depressed since the morning. Rika does not respond. Satoko asks if she is still worried about the day before when the butcher ignored Satoko and assures her that she is not offended. When Rika starts to answer, Shion demands that they both start cheering. Satoko dutifully joins in, but Rika still looks down. In her Adult Voice she mutters simply, "That's right (そう・''sō'')," then starts cheering Keiichi. To herself, in her Adult Voice, she rationalizes, "For now, at the very least, let me enjoy myself." At the foot of the Furude Shrine, men erect banners for "Furude Shrine" and "Watanagashi." Second Half At their home that night, Satoko proudly declares that Hinamizawa won with a comeback victory and congratulates herself that her plan against Kameda worked. Rika listens to Satoko as she cuts a cucumber and accidentally cuts her left index finger. Satoko continues talking until she notices Rika does not respond. She looks to see Rika letting the blood drip from her finger onto the stool she stands on to reach the counter. After bandaging Rika's finger, Satoko again asks her what is wrong. Rika responds with a "Mii" and a smile, then in her very "cutesie" Child Voice insists she merely made a mistake. Satoko looks sad and asks if it is her fault; Rika responds with another cute "Mii." Rika insists that she was just "spacing out." Satoko watches her return to the counter with concern. That night, in her Adult Voice, Rika laments that, "In the end, with nothing changing, I will just repeat my death. I just can't get used to this. Dying in despair." Another child's voice whines for her not to say such a thing. Rika ignores this and continues, "Again that day will come, and I will be killed. As usual." The other child's voice protests, and Rika asks her what will change. The two argue, with the other child's voice insisting that eventually, somehow, something good will happen. Rika yells at her, which awakens Satoko. rushing away from Rika.]]She looks to see Rika angrily proclaiming: "I'll just be killed again, like always!" There is a brief flash of a miko's sleeve departing from in front of Rika. Satoko sits up and asks to whom Rika is talking. Rika looks down and does not answer. Still sleepy, Satoko walks over and asks, "Wasn't someone just here?" In her Adult Voice, Rika insists she was just mumbling to herself. Satoko states that she heard, "something about being killed." Rika looks at Satoko and confesses that it will be her. She explains that after the Watanagashi Festival, she will be killed. "I cannot . . . escape!" Satoko seems to suddenly come to lying in her bed in the morning. She sees Rika again standing on the stool at the counter cutting a cucumber. She calls to her, and Rika happily wishes her a good morning in her cutsie Child Voice. Satoko approaches her and asks if she talked with Rika that night before. Rika gives her a cute look and asks her what she is talking about. Satoko replies that their conversation was about Rika being killed. Rika convinces her that she just had a dream. As Satoko leaves to wash up, Rika looks back at her with a very serious look. Satoko places her foot on a coffee can and challenges all to come at her. A view from above shows she also surrounded herself with various pitfall traps. Peaking around the side of a nearby building Keiichi and Rena discuss Satoko's traps. Keiichi points out the seemingly obvious pitfalls that must be a bluff and are really the safe spots. Keiichi confidently runs to jump on the first only to fall into the trap, which appears filled with mud, and Satoko to laugh at him. Satoko teases Keiichi that she felt he was the only one who would fall for such a trap, until she is interrupted by Rika giving off a "Mii!" and falling into another one just as a mud-covered Keiichi tries to emerge from is hole. Rika emerges with mud on her face and happily admits that she fell in. Keiichi climbs out of his hole, and he, Satoko, Shion, Mion, and Rena rush to ask he what she is doing. Mion wonders how she can be as clumsy as Keiichi. Shion agrees that this is not like her. Rika smiles and claims she made a mistake. Satoko watches her surprised and concerned. Back in the classroom, Satoko confesses what she believes she heard to the rest. Mion asks her if it was just a dream, and Satoko admits she initially thought it was. Mion folds her arms in frustration and cannot imagine anyone in Hinamizawa would kill Rika. Rena agrees and notes that villagers often call her the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama. Satoko starts to protes, but the door to the class opens to reveal Rika in her gym clothes. Rika smiles at her with a happy "Mii!" Satoko directly tells her that they did talk the night before, and Rika did tell her that she would be killed after the night of the Watanagashi ''Festival. Rika tries to deny that they talked. Speaking in her cute Child Voice, she insists that she crawled into her ''futon and slept until the morning. Keiichi smiles as the rest turn with him to Satoko, and he happily concludes that Satoko was just "half asleep." As Mion chides her for scaring them, Satoko expression remains serious as she looks at Rika who also looks back at her similarly. Satoko says her name, and Rika changes to a playful smile and asks if she is still asleep. At the observation point of the Furude Shrine, Rika overlooks Hinamizawa as the Sun sets. The other female child's voice asks Rika if she regrets what she did. In her Adult Voice, Rika admits thats she does, "At the very least, I shoudn't have let Satoko know." The other protests that Satoko said it and she should not torment herself, but Rika cuts her off by asking, "You want to drag Satoko into this?" The other whines a halting "Au~ Au~" as the higurashi cry. Rika continues that if she talks to someone, something horrible will happen to him. She starts to declare that to rely on Satoko, only to question asking help from anyone. As she looks down at the village in sadness, the other can only say her name. That night, at the home she shares with Satoko, Rika declares in her Adult Voice that if her fate is to die, she will silently accept it alone as Satoko sleeps. Satoko's eyes open and she asks, "Rika?" She startles to see Rika sitting in the window sill looking again at the Moon. She calls Rika's name a few times, but Rika does not respond. "So it's true (やっぱり・''yappari'')," Satoko says sadly. Without looking at her, Rika replies, "You can't do anything about it." She then finally turns to Satoko and declares, "It's already too late." Teaser Chibi Rika and Chibi Hanyū introduce scenes from the next episode. Chibi Rika speaks in the Adult Voice: *''The Higurashi's crying voice that seeps into my Heart. Someone's scream that echoes in the undergrowth. The Oyashiro-sama Curse makes no exceptions. To enjoy this terror. . . .'' Chibi Hanyū interrupts to declare: *"Please come to Hinamizawa! You will be accomodated in the renowned special torture room of the Sonozaki Family! You will be treated to a formidable supper complete with a fingernail removal show!" Chibi Rika smiles and adds: "Massive bleeding is included!" Chibi Hanyū "Au~ Au~"s and introduces the title of the next episode: *"Brought to you by the Hinamizawa Tourism Board!" Characters In order of appearance *Furude Rika *Hōjō Satoko *Maebara Keiichi *Ryūgū Rena *Various Unnamed Hinamizawa Residents *Sonozaki Shion *Sonozaki Mion *Ōishi Kuraudo *Two Unnamed Uniformed Police Officers *Butcher (unnamed) *Various Unnamed Anti-Dam Protestants (flashback) *Mr. and Mrs. Hōjō (flashback) *Hōjō Satoshi (flashback) *Irie Kyōsuke *Hinamizawa Fighters Unnamed Members *Okinomiya Titans Unnamed Members *Kōichi Kameda *Various Unnamed Reporters and Baseball Scouts *Umpire (unnamed) *Tomita Daiki *Voice of a Female Child Referbacks and Forwards *Satoko admonishing Rika that they cannot eat if she does not put away her futon. *Rika's overall demeanor. "Arg! Spoilers there be!" *Rika is a bit sensitive about her inability to cook. *'Baseball Crisis:' Satoko calls Keiichi for the game in Older Brother of Tatarigoroshi-hen. He strikes out against the pitcher who is unnamed. The score of the game is different, and Satoko wins the game with a "Walk-Off Home Run." In her retelling to Rika, Satoko proudly states she got a hit off of Kameda in the bottom of the 9th. *Kick the Can *''Chibi'' Rika's Teaser Speech: resembles the first season's use of the Adult Voice to give a poetic preview of the next episode. Trivia *'Grand Slam:' Mion hit hers at the bottom of the 4th. *'"Bloopers":' **''The Scoreboard'': shows "0" for the top of the 7th when Mion is at bat at the bottom of the 7th. Afterwards, as shown in the Gallery, the visitors somehow scored two runs in the top of the 7th to take a 7-6 lead even though they are still playing the bottom of the 7th! **''Artifact'': it has been reported that an outline of the character appears behind Keiichi and Rena when they observe Satoko. This, along with Rena's claim in a subsequent arc that she felt the Club's games were often observed, has led to the suggestion that it is a particular character whose sleeve appears in this episode . . . Arg! Spoiler That Be! The outline is retained in the Blue Ray release, and it appears to look more like an artifact of Keiichi. The Gallery contains the clearer Blue Ray with a close-up. *'Pinch Hitter:' A pinch hitter, as well as any substitute player, must be on the roster for the game. Satoko's "special rule" seems to imply that Keiichi does not have to play the field between at bats and can pinch hit again the next inning. Nevertheless, he ends up batting again at the bottom of the 9th. In order to for this to happen, the "Kōshein-level" pitcher would have had to effectively load the bases and get three outs without Hinamizawa scoring a single run. *'Time Dilation: '''Given the distance and time taken in other episodes throughout the series, it is nigh impossible that Hinamizawa would be allowed to delay the inning for the time it would take Keiichi to bike from Hinamizawa to Okinomiya. Of course, this is a game where the team playing defense somehow can score two runs; perhaps the Titans scored a safety . . . . Cultural References *O-Bon'' Festival (お盆):''' Keiichi mentions that it starts in August. *Miko' (巫女)':' though Rika seems to take care of the shrine and rituals as a true priestess or ''Kannushi (神主), priestesses are very rare, and she is always called a "miko" in the Sound Novels, and manga and anime adaptions. *''Chama'' (ちゃま):' this is a "cute" version of ''sama (様・さま). *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_High_School_Baseball_Championship ''Kōshein'' (子園) '''Level]:''' refers to the high school tournaments played on a national level. *"Fangs for the Memories":' a character with a "fang," or incisor such as Satoko usually has, is "primal." Keiichi sporting one is a ''homage to Satoko. *''Yakiniku'' (焼き肉 or 焼肉) *''Dogeza'' (土下座):''' the "begging for your life" bow. Memorable Moments *"The Village!": The way the Hinamizawa villagers treat Satoko. *'''Rika's Death: Rika discusses how she keeps repeating her death. This is no longer a Spoiler. Arg. **Does Rika know what happens afterwards? Discuss. Quotes *"If Rika-chan disappears after the Festival, then it's obviously your doing!" - Keiichi to Rena *"How long does Satoko's family need to be forsaken by the village?" - Rika to Mion *"Like an evocation of an innocent little girl dressed in ribbons and frills who does not know any filth, delightful desserts which resemble innocent girls of which your obvious craving lust is written over your pimple-ridden face on that shaved head of yours as you disgrace her!!! That's right! You're not enjoying eating the dessert!! All you want is to mortify it, violate it, and devour it!!!" - Keiichi to Kameda *"What's wrong with guys being perverts?" - Keiichi to Kameda *"Well . . . streaking a full lap across town . . . on his hands, of course." - Mion explaining Keiichi's penalty to Rena *"I was just spacing out." - Rika to Satoko *"Last night, I was taling with you here, wasn't I?" - Satoko to Rika *"If I talk to someone, something will happen to that person. Something so horrible, I don't even want to think about it." - Rika to the Other Child *"Even if my fate is to die, I shall silently accept that fate alone." - Rika Gallery Rika Triggers Rena.png|Rika Triggers Cute Mode™ No Joy in Mudville.png|"There is No Joy in Mudville Hinamizawa!" Scoreboard-2.png|Hinamizawa is the "home team." Mion hit her grand slam at the bottom of the third. It is the bottom of the 7th with Hinamizawa leading 6-5. New Scoreboard.png|. . . or is it? Mion Advertisement.png|'Shishibone' Come for the Meat! Stay for the Pastry! Hanyū's First Line.png|Hanyū's First Spoken Line Artifact behind Keichi & Rena-I.png|The Blue Ray of the artifact behind Keiichi "Where the horns?" Artifact behind Keichi & Rena-II.png|Close-up of artifact. Higurashi Kai Title Card 03.png|The episode title card. Category:Episodes Category:Anime Category:Yakusamashi-hen Episodes